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Interleukin‐10 modulates neuronal threshold of vulnerability to ischaemic damage
Author(s) -
Grilli Mariagrazia,
Barbieri Ilaria,
Basudev Harsha,
Brusa Rossella,
Casati Carlo,
Lozza Gianluca,
Ongini Ennio
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
european journal of neuroscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.346
H-Index - 206
eISSN - 1460-9568
pISSN - 0953-816X
DOI - 10.1046/j.1460-9568.2000.00090.x
Subject(s) - neuroprotection , excitotoxicity , brain damage , knockout mouse , ischemia , cytokine , inflammation , in vivo , biology , neuroscience , chemistry , immunology , medicine , pharmacology , nmda receptor , receptor , microbiology and biotechnology
Interleukin‐10 (IL‐10) is a powerful suppressor of cellular immune responses, with a postulated role in brain inflammation. First, we have evaluated the role of this cytokine in ischaemic brain damage using IL‐10 knockout (IL‐10 –/– ) mice. The middle cerebral artery (MCA) was occluded in either IL‐10 –/– or wild‐type animals of corresponding strain (C57Bl/6) and age. Infarct volume was assessed 24 h later in serial brain sections. Brain infarct produced by MCA occlusion was 30% larger in the IL‐10 –/– than in wild‐type mice (21.8 ± 1.2 vs. 16.9 ± 1.0 mm 3 , respectively; P < 0.01; Student's t‐test). To further characterize these findings, studies were extended to in vitro models. Primary neuronal cortical cultures derived from IL‐10 –/– animals were more susceptible to both excitotoxicity and combined oxygen–glucose deprivation compared with cell cultures from wild‐type mice. Moreover, when added to the culture medium, recombinant murine IL‐10 (0.1–100 ng/mL) exerted a concentration‐dependent prevention of neuronal damage induced by excitotoxicity in both cortical and cerebellar granule cell cultures taken from either strain. The accordance of in vivo and in vitro data allows us to suggest a potential neuroprotective role of IL‐10 against cerebral ischaemia when administered exogenously or made available from endogenous sources.